Thread: Modifying ARB bar to suit winch

Watching with interest as I want to do the same on a D1

Originally Posted by garrycol

Regrettably your new bar will no longer be compliant for the Disco and as such not legal to be fitted.

Bars have to be certified by the manufacturer as suitable for the vehicle it is fitted to. Does your fabricator have the skills and facilities to legally recertify the modified bar?

Valid points Garrycol...

Does the company have the skills to modify - Yes. They specialise in bar work, front, rear steps and other.

Legally re-certify? Now thats an interesting question!
Will it be ADR compliant - yes.
Can it be certified as vehicle compliant - that would depend on what is required.

Though - if i have a certified and compliant bar and then add or remove ANY item (antenna mount, light bracket, put an extra hole in it no matter how small, etc there could be 100's of items) does it not also alter the compliance and legality?


As I said though valid points-

Originally Posted by Rugrat

Will it be ADR compliant - yes.

No it will not. Any modifications to the basic structure of the bar (adding a winch cradle) will mean it needs to be re-certified - including certifying it is still airbag compliant.

ARB (and OL) have the D3 bar which with minimal modification will fit the RRS - same basic car. But even with all the resources of ARB they will not certify the D3 bar to fit the RRS. So I think you are pushing it for you fabrication company to produce what you want legally.

Sell what you have and buy a winch bar.

Garry

Originally Posted by garrycol

Sell what you have and buy a winch bar.

Completely agree with this. The cost difference should only be a few hundred dollars, and work done by a qualified engineering shop would likely cost that anyway.

Keep the vehicle legal, and protect your vehicle and TAC/CTP insurance intact.

Originally Posted by nismine01

As I mentioned in my answer earlier on this thread, I made one up for my Disco II.

Measure the width between the 'crush cans', be ACCURATE as 1mm too much and the cradle will not fit, 1mm less and the cradle will be a little loose but will fit and the bolts will pull it to the chassis. Measure the distance between the 'V' out (the give point) in the crush cans back to the first X member, radiator support whatever. This support is gusseted at the corners, don't worry about the gusset, just measure to the X member.

What dimensions do you have, please let me know through this thread and I will check them with the DII, I may be able to get one knocked up for you.

Cheers

Mike

Front of a D3 is nothing like the front end of a D2.... So the cradle between the rails idea isnt a go.

Ok for us Victorians this is what I can glean / find out from Vic Roads.
As well as complying with the Vehicle Standards Information 1, Bull Bars, the bull bar must meet the design requirements of the Australian Standard Vehicles fitted with an air bag or manufactured to comply with Australian Design Rule (ADR) 69 or ADR 73, can only be fitted with a bull bar which:-
• Has been certified by the vehicle manufacturer as suitable for that vehicle; or,
• Has been demonstrated by the bull bar manufacturer to not adversely affect the vehicle’s compliance with ADR 69 or ADR 73 or interfere with any critical air bag timing mechanism as the case may be.

Demonstration of compliance with ADR 69 or ADR 73 requires full scale barrier testing. Similarly demonstrating that the critical air bag timing mechanism is not affected when a bull bar is fitted may also require full scale barrier testing.

ADR 69 applies to all new model passenger cars manufactured on or after 1 July 1995.
ADR 73 applies to all new model passenger cars not exceeding 2.5 tonnes GVM, manufactured on or after 1 January 2000.



Does it clear it up 100% - no but its made my mind up for me Still open to some interpretation but clear enough that my original question has been answered either way.

SO for me its back to the drawing board if I wish to remain squeaky legal and compliant.
Thanks to all who offered their opinions.
What can be done and what can be deemed legal - is where you must interpret it yourself.

Arb sell both winch compatitable and non compatitable bars. Assuming winch compatitable just have extra reinforcing where the winch goes then all you are doing is adding what they left off. are you altering the design of the bar? no, are you altering how the bar effects the airbag sensors? no the crush cans remain the same. i would be very suprised if an insurance assessor could remove a crumpled bullbar off a car and see the difference, its not like you are fitting an xrox or tube bar.
What are people opinion of hidden winch mounts? do they comply?